Splicing An Eye

Day 335: During the Portland Pirate Festival, I had the opportunity to sit down with a couple of chaps who showed me what I've been doing wrong when I attempted to splice rope. The solution was simple and should have occurred to me: you back-weave against the lay, not with it. D'uh! I came home and practiced the technique this morning with a piece of silky 1/4" diameter decorative cord, and then decided to go to town after some spanking-clean rope (unlike the stuff in my garage). Here you see the splice in progress. I've worked back three full turns. If this eye was under reasonable tension, five would be sufficient to hold. Having no marlinspike, I'm working with a nail set as a substitute. Necessity is the mother of invention!

This shot also gives me a chance to show off the Black Blade's new 'at, a fine genuine leather tricorn handstitched by James the Cordwainer. Ye'd best be gettin' used ter pirates in me photostream, most 'specially in t'month o' September.